The 1994 Genocide perpetrated in Rwanda was one of the most astounding atrocities that the world had ever seen. An estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered systematically by their friends and neighbors through the efficient interahamwe militias, comprised of their neighbors. After these bloody three months, the international community deemed it prudent to move the escaped killers back into their original homes. Therefore, this was the first Genocide in which victims’ families were forced to live next door to the people who had terrorized and murdered their families. After the fledgling government welcomed in hundreds of thousands of Tutsi refugees of past conflicts from neighboring countries and millions of Hutus fled in fear of reprisal killings, the country tried to regain its balance. A few years of fragile peace among neighbors were shattered with a series of attacks from extremist Hutu power “refugees” in border towns, again heightening differences and distrust along ethnic lines.
These tensions lead me to question the future stability of a country which is holding so much in without being allowed to release. Currently the Rwandan government is trying its citizens in local courts across the country using its traditional village legal system, however, it may be necessary to look deeper into the problem. Environmental rehabilitation provides an excellent venue by which to work with one’s neighbors, while at the same time creating or developing relationships and outdoor spaces that can continue to grow over time.
This summer, I would like to combine my interests in urban revitalization and international community-based development in post-conflict afflicted countries to work with two orphanages, the surrounding communities, local and international NGOs, the local government, and other potential partners in Kigali, Rwanda.
Broad Questions:
- Where do people in Kigali traditionally gather and meet? What is their relationship with Greenspace? What parks or Greenspaces have already been established or created in Kigali?
- What vacant lots or derelict spaces exist around Kigali Orphanages? What are local zoning laws for these spaces?
- Is a Greenspace intervention an appropriate mechanism by which to foster linkages between Kigali Orphanages and the greater Kigali community at large? What are the possible effects or outcomes of a Greenspace intervention?